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Monday, 21 December 2015

The groom who lost his bride in an accident on their wedding night, dies

The husband of the woman killed in a crash on their wedding day died on Saturday, December 19, three years after the tragic incident. Louwrens Geldenhuys, 34, reportedly died of a heart attack as the trial of the man allegedly responsible for the death of his wife is drawing to a close.

Hours after Chantal and Geldenhuys exchanged vows in a church north of Pretoria on December 2, 2012, the couple was involved in a grisly crash when an alleged intoxicated soldier drove into them.

Chantal was killed on impact and Geldenhuys was seriously injured. Details of her tragic death in a car crash of a bride on her way to the wedding-night reception played out in court about two weeks ago.

Sergeant-Major Abram Themba has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and reckless or negligent driving in the Pretoria North Regional Court. Themba allegedly skipped a red traffic light shortly after midnight on the corner of Dr Van der Merwe and Sefako Makgatho drives.

Themba was driving a white Toyota Hilux bakkie and, according to earlier testimony in court, had to be helped out of his vehicle by Warrant Officer Jan Booysen.

The testimony was that Themba, who at the time of the accident claimed he was a SA National Defence Force Colonel, reeked of alcohol and that his speech was slurred.